Just a Hug
by Teru-Takinomi
Summary: Levi doesn't understand why he hates seeing Eren cry. Fem!Eren. Rated T for Levi's language, one-shot.


Idk what this is. I was just trying to write something cute and fluffy between Eren and Levi and this is what came out. Its short, sorry, but I wasn't going to stretch it any farther than this. Rather, I can't. I just...ugh. This is set sometime after the Trail and before the Expedition. I may have tweaked a few things without meaning to.

**Warning**: Fem!Eren, kind of implied? Ereri, but it isn't really. Just read it. Oh, this has also NOT been Beta'd! I'm too ashamed to show it to my beta. /

**Just a Hug**

**by Teru-Takinomi**

It was dinner time. All of the Survey Corps members were assembled in the giant mess hall; the walls were filled with their talking, jokes, and laughter.

Levi sat apart from the majority, his personal squad around him adding their voices to the din. Petra chided Ouro for the umpteenth time for acting like Levi, while Gunter and Eld teasingly told the two of them to get a room. Petra turned bright red and began lecturing them.

Levi wasn't really paying them any attention. It was annoying, listening to this day after day, but they were the best of all the Survey Corps. He respected them for that, at the very least.

Steel-colored eyes traveled across the faces of the other Survey Corps members until they fell on the altogether too familiar brown haired girl from the 104th trainee's squad. Eren Jaeger. She smiled brightly at the two people with her, the blond haired Armin and the black haired Mikasa. What was it about Eren that captivated the Corporal so? He didn't know. Her vitality? Her enthusiasm? Perhaps it was her obvious hero-worship—but, no, that couldn't be it. Ouro had enough of that to go around and then some.

She looked up and their eyes met briefly. She blushed, flashed a small smile, then turned to bury her face in Mikasa's shoulder.

Levi shook his head and sighed.

This was the "monster" the Military Police wanted dead? This blushing girl was just so terrifying that they needed her head on a silver platter, huh. Tch, pathetic.

Levi stood then and took his plate to the kitchen to clean up. He could feel Petra's eyes on him as he left, but said nothing. The squad was used to his abrasive behavior by now.

The water was hot on his hands as he scrubbed his plate clean. The sound of someone else entering behind him caused him to look up and over his shoulder. A delicate brow arched curiously as Eren stepped forward shyly.

"Can I join you, Heichou?" she asked.

He inclined his head and moved a step to the side. He still found it annoying that the girl was taller than him, but it wasn't like he could help it. He had stopped growing years ago; she was probably still growing, being that she was still, what...fifteen years old?

Damn it; he was getting old.

His plate was clean, he moved aside to dry it. From the corner of his eye, he caught Eren moving, but when he looked at he fully, her head was bowed and her green-blue eyes were on her own dishes. What was it? he wanted to ask, but did he really care enough to know? No, not really.

He started to turn away and leave, but her voice stopped him. "Heichou..."

"What is it, Eren?"

She wavered, he could see it on her face; her hands, wet from the water, were shaking as she reached for him.

"Are they really coming for me?"

Levi stared at her. He didn't need to ask who "they" were. "Probably."

She deflated instantly, her hands dropping to her side. Levi watched as the water began to drip onto the floor beside her. "I don't want to go with them." Her voice was so low and quiet, Levi wasn't entirely sure he heard her right. "I want to stay with Mikasa and Armin... I want to stay with Heichou and everyone here."

"We can't have what we want all the time." Levi almost regretted the words when she flinched as if he'd physically hurt her. He sighed. Damn this brat... "Eren... Come here."

She stepped toward him, her dishes now forgotten. Levi, frustrated with her slow pace, grabbed her arm and pulled her into his arms. Eren stiffened almost immediately.

"Hei...chou...?" she whispered. "What are you...?"

"Shut up, brat," he interrupted. He didn't know what he was doing, to be honest. Hugging her, obviously, but why? The damn brat had looked so upset, like she'd been about to cry or something. Did he feel responsible for that? Did he feel like it was his fault? Maybe. Not really.

She looked down at him before she wrapped her arms tentatively around him. She leaned down and pressed her face into his shoulder and he let her.

"Thank you...Heichou..."

Levi pushed her away to arms length, but didn't let her go. He looked her square in the eye and said, "Don't thank me. Just don't cry any more."

Eren smiled and she nodded. "I'll try not to. For Heichou."

He nodded and let her go then. "Good night, Eren."

"Good night, Levi-heichou," she answered, and he could feel the warmth in her voice as he left the kitchen.


End file.
